The United States is looking for ways to make it easier for Americans with minor criminal records to join the U.S. military in order to allow for more military recruits, Associated Press (AP) reported on Tuesday. Currently, the numbers are rising for U.S. Army recruits that need waivers for bad behavior, such as trying drugs, stealing, carrying weapons on school grounds and fighting, according to Pentagon statistics. The numbers went from 15 percent in 2006 to 18 percent this year, the Pentagon review said. Overall, about three in every 10 recruits must get a waiver and about two-thirds of those approved in recent years have been for criminal behavior, the Pentagon said. The Pentagon review aims to make the waiver requirements consistent across the services of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. Lieutenant General Michael Rochelle, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel, said the review is necessary. “I do believe it needs to be done. There are really anomalies out there,” Rochelle said of the waiver review. The waivers require more time, paperwork and investigation, from detailed health screenings and doctor referrals to testimonials about past bad behavior. Depending on the seriousness, the final decision can be made by senior recruiting officers or higher-ranking commanders, the Pentagon said. The review comes as the Army is already strained by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and needs to grow to meet those demands and be prepared to respond to crises in any other hot spot, AP said. The Pentagon has also recommended the Army be increased by about 65,000 soldiers to a total of 547,000, and the Marines be increased by 27,000 to 202,000. The services will either have to bring in more new people or convince more current soldiers and Marines to stay on.
